Hello Seems To Be The Hardest Word

Saying hello is to acknowledge the existence of another.

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon so I decided to go for a bike ride. We have a great trail that runs for approximately 50 miles along tree-lined paths called the Iron Horse Trail. No, I didn’t ride 50 miles, only about 20 miles round trip, but it was still a good ride. As I was riding along, I don’t know why, but I got the bright idea that I would say hello to everyone I met on the trail. I thought this would be an easy thing to do. However, as I rode, I quickly found myself being a little uneasy, especially with the various responses.

Some people kept their heads down. Some acted like they didn't hear me. In some cases the reason they didn’t hear me was because they were listening to music on their IPod, (at least that is what I would like to think.) Some looked at me like I was strange. Some said hello under their breath, with nary a smile. I think some were taken by surprise that someone would even say hello. All in all the majority of the responses were positive.

The best part of the ride was when there was a group of riders approaching. Before they got to me I said out loud, “Hello everyone.” They all said in unison "Hello!" with big smiles on their faces.

My take-away from the experience is that I am not responsible for how people respond; it is my job to be kind and courteous. Whether on a trail, in a grocery line or in a café, we all have a responsibility to be kind.

You may never know the impact a simple hello may have on someone. Try it, you will like it!